PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Xi Li
AU  - Xiaomei Fan
AU  - Dongshun Li
AU  - Xuezhen Zeng
AU  - Hang Zeng
AU  - Yongtao Wang
AU  - Yawen Zhou
AU  - Yixin Chen
AU  - Min Huang
AU  - Huichang Bi
TI  - <em>Schisandra sphenanthera</em> Extract Facilitates Liver Regeneration after Partial Hepatectomy in Mice
AID  - 10.1124/dmd.115.068288
DP  - 2016 May 01
TA  - Drug Metabolism and Disposition
PG  - 647--652
VI  - 44
IP  - 5
4099  - http://dmd.aspetjournals.org/content/44/5/647.short
4100  - http://dmd.aspetjournals.org/content/44/5/647.full
SO  - Drug Metab Dispos2016 May 01; 44
AB  - Liver regeneration after surgical liver resection is crucial for the restoration of liver mass and the recovery of liver function. Schisandra sphenanthera extract (Wuzhi tablet, WZ) is a preparation of an extract from the dried ripe fruit of Schisandra sphenanthera Rehd. et Wils, a traditional hepatoprotective herb. Previously, we found that WZ could induce liver regeneration-related genes against acetaminophen-induced liver injury. However, whether WZ can directly facilitate liver regeneration after liver resection remains unknown. We investigated whether WZ has potential in promoting liver regeneration after a partial hepatectomy (PHX) in mice. Remnant livers were collected 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 10 days after PHX. Hepatocyte proliferation was assessed using the Ki-67 labeling index. Western blot analysis was performed on proteins known to be involved in liver regeneration. The results demonstrated that WZ significantly increased the liver-to-body weight ratio of mice after PHX but had no effect on that of mice after a sham operation. Additionally, the peak hepatocyte proliferation was observed at 1.5 days in PHX/WZ-treated mice but at 2 days in PHX/saline-treated mice, as evidenced by the Ki-67 positive ratio. Furthermore, WZ significantly increased the protein expression of ligand-induced phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor receptor and up-regulated cyclin D1, cyclin D-dependent kinase 4, phosphorylated retinoblastoma, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen protein expression and down-regulated the expression of cell cycle inhibitors p21 and p27 in the regenerative process after PHX. These results demonstrate that WZ significantly facilitates hepatocyte proliferation and liver regeneration after PHX.